Roblox Television Networks Group
The Roblox Television Networks Group, also known as the RTNG, is an alliance between rTV Networks, Roblox Networks Television, Lava Lamp Entertainment and Box Networks, among others, that let the groups exchange resources (programming, actors, hosts, crew, etc.) and develop projects between multiple networks. The RTNG is co-owned by the five current primary members: BenzBot, SuperLemonade, o_Blyzo, TheMagRBLX and WeepinnWillow. The group dissolved on April 7, 2014, after tense relations between the companies, but was then recreated on May 24, 2014 without original founding primary member TamatedRNetworks. History The RTNG started in the early morning hours of February 23, 2013, around 2:30am, at the request of founding member Tamated. The name, however, was thrown around for a while starting in December 2012. The group began and created a number of projects, such as the Robloxian Television Ratings System, the roTV platform, and other smaller works. The RTNG fostered healthy relations between Robloxia's major networks, and strengthened existing ones. One of the founding members of the consortium, TamatedRNetworks, along with all the properties of its parent company Rush, closed on October 20, 2013. Group owner Tamated said that he would continue to work with the RTNG on things pertaining to the other two remaining primary members. The group re-opened on January 29, 2014, and retained its major member status for the remaining eight months of the company's existence. On March 11, 2014, Gavent Television Group, which had just recently attained primary status, was temporary stripped of its rank for three days after owner AGavent made comments deemed "harassing and offensive" to other RTNG members, mainly SuperLemonade, as well as Tamated. He was restored to his post on March 14. Starting on April 5, 2014, a series of events occurred (mainly between rTV Networks and Roblox Networks Television) that began to tear apart the group. On April 7, 2014, AGavent, already on the brink of demotion, changed the name of the group on Skype. After it was changed back by BenzBot, the group lost control, and BenzBot temporarily kicked the owners of the other networks out to cool off. Unfortunately, this was a final straw of sorts for SuperLemonade, as he delivered the news that the other three companies had collectively left the group, effectively dissolving the RTNG, and instead uniting with shares in Tamated's Rush Networks company. After the closure, BenzBot stated that things had been bitter with RNTV prior to this specific incident, and believes that RNTV may have pushed the other two networks against rTVN to close the RTNG. On May 24, 2014, SuperLemonade discussed reopening the RTNG, with his RNTV, BenzBot's rTV Networks, and AGavent's GTG. The group relaunched that day, without TRN specifically because the other three felt he was a negative influence on the group. On November 9, 2014, it was decided that following the acquisition of Gavent Television Group by rTV Networks, the newly renamed rTV Networks Gavent subsidiary would maintain separate membership within the RTNG for the time being. After the company was temporarily reverted to GTG, before closing and relaunching as Gavent Networks, AGavent announced that his company will remain a primary member in the RTNG. In the fall of 2015, the Roblox Television Networks Group became more acquainted with the Robloxian film industry, also known as Robloxiwood; this accelerated after the Roblox Television Networks Group presented itself at Robloxiwood's Octoberfest Film Festival in October 2015. Just prior to the widely-acclaimed showing of its prowess, the RTNG launched the Film and TV Cooperative, also known as the RTNG FTVC, to help foster new relationships between the Robloxian television and film industries, as the RTNG saw Robloxiwood as an outlet to leverage the growth of the Robloxian television industry. The FTVC launched RTNG MediaCon to help present the work of the Robloxian television and film industries to a larger audience (despite the fact that the Robloxian television industry is even smaller than the film industry). The event is aimed toward a general Robloxian audience rather than to industry members. The first event was well-liked and received positive reviews. Over the spring of 2016, BenzBot and SuperLemonade have been locked in an argument over a potential rebrand for the RTNG, which both see as relatively necessary or as an improvement. This debate continued through the summer and ended up inadvertently canceling the planned Summer 2016 edition of the RTNG MediaCon convention. However, progress was made starting on August 24, 2016 towards implementing a new brand. The final two proposals (one from SuperLemonade and one from BenzBot) were put to a vote amongst the Robloxiwood film industry on August 30, 2016 (as both creators stood by their proposals creating an impasse). BenzBot's proposal won out, two votes to zero. On September 1, 2016, the RTNG implemented its new brand across all of its major output platforms. The new brand, according to creator BenzBot, is meant to make the group look "smart and professional", and "continue group's long-standing brand positioning, 'We are Robloxian innovators'." The new brand extends across both the main group and the Film and TV Cooperative division. A generic logo for upcoming editions of MediaCon is said to be coming later. On September 3, 2016, the RTNG reacted to the creation of the Robloxian Broadcasting Exchange by announcing a proposal to help support smaller networks. BenzBot made a speech in the RBE's meeting room that afternoon, stating that the RTNG wants to work to better unite the Robloxian television industry and make smaller members feel more included. Several of the RBE's smaller companies also joined the RTNG as secondary members following the speech. On November 10, 2016, the RTNG announced the entry period for RTNG MediaCon Winter 2017, which was being held a week earlier than originally scheduled due to the presidential inauguration falling on the initial weekend. The event was held from January 13 through January 15, 2017. On April 1, 2017, AGavent closed Gavent Network and split its holdings amongst other television companies, most notably rTV Networks (see rTV Networks Gavent). However, less than two weeks later, on April 12, AGavent returned to the industry with an independent studio named Overtime Studios. After discussions with BenzBot on the matter, he announced that the studio would be a primary member of the RTNG, being the first primary member company to not own any television networks. On May 1, 2017, it was announced that Lava Lamp Entertainment would become the RTNG's fourth primary member, the first time the group has had four primary members in three years. On February 1, 2018, it was announced that o_Blyzo, owner of DogeTV and Box. would become the newest primary member of the RTNG. On June 2, 2019, RBC Network became a primary member, marking the first time the group had five primary members (as Overtime had ceased operations months after joining). However, during the second day of the RTNG's Mediacon Summer 2019 event, on July 27, 2019, o_Blyzo and TheMagRBLX both announced that they would be stepping down from their positions as primary members. This created a panic within the group, and lead to quite a few other prominent members, one of which being WeepinnWillow, to leave the group. The future of the group is currently uncertain, however BenzBot has asked the remaining members of the group "(to not) jump to conclusions or speculation about the future of the group". Projects While the main purpose of the RTNG is resource pooling between networks groups, the RTNG has also created a few projects of its own (mainly the ideas of rTV Networks). RoTV RoTV is a service which provides a cable-like, premium platform for Robloxian broadcasters, which launched in February 2015. The service combines existing free-to-air channels, such as rTV, Rnetwork, and RN as well as new channels exclusive to the service, such as MixTV, rTV3, and more. Since its launch, roTV has remained the dominant, incumbent player in a field now known as premium television services, and the launch of roTV has led to the development and launches of competitors such as Amicable and 3view. Robloxian Television Ratings System The Robloxian Television Ratings System, or RTRS, is a television content rating system for Robloxian broadcasters to notify viewers of the suitability of a program they may be watching. The RTRS originally was only limited to the rTV Networks and Roblox Networks Television, but it has since gained a wider usage throughout the industry. RTN merger option rTV Networks created the option for the RTNG participating networks to, at the approval of all parties involved, merge into one set of channels, combining all current and planned programming on them, to create a megaconglomerate known as Roblox Television Networks (RTN). The positives of the merger would be more focused initiatives across a smaller area; downsides include a lack of competition between channels. Since the closure of the original RTNG, this plan has been scrapped. At one point, an actual RTN existed, which hindered these plans (it had since become REN, and later ROFlix; it became rTV Networks RoFlix before closing in February 2015). If the merger occurred, the channels and services would be redistributed as follows: RTN1: General entertainment channel, a port of rTV, GTV, and RN. There have been rumors the channel could come to exist as a public-broadcaster style channel, in competition with Exchange, but nothing had come of this until May 13, 2017, when it was added to roTV. Despite this, no official announcement has been made. RTN2: Teen-oriented channel, port of Rnetwork and RN2. RTN3: Port of rTV3. RTN4: RTN's news division and channel. Combination of Blox News Channel, and the news arm of RN (currently powered by Blox News). RTN5: Port of Blox. RTN6: New channel, focusing on Robloxian culture. Similar to and based from DR K. RTN7: New sports channel. Port of Blox Sports. RTN8: Port of rTV2. RTN9: Somewhat a port of rTV UK; timeshift of RTN channel programs for British audiences. RTN10 (RTN Ten): Port of MixTV and Viva Roblox. RTN Buzz: Port of RN3. RTN YOYO: Port of rTV YOYO, dependent on whether or not rTV3 exists. RTN Replay: Combination of rTV's on-demand service and RN Anytime. Roblox commercial contest In late February 2014, the group decided to enter the Roblox commercial contest, in a bid to grow the Robloxian television industry's userbase. The advertisement never came to be. Robloxiwood Octoberfest booth On September 5, 2015, BenzBot expressed his interest at creating a booth, representing the RTNG, at the 2015 Octoberfest Film Festival, the highest-profile Robloxiwood event of the year. After receiving approval from event organizer LordCrossfire82, work began on the booth on September 13, 2015. BenzBot says that the event will help increase awareness of the Robloxian television industry, and he hopes that more people will become interested in Robloxian television during and following the event. He also hopes to promote increased integration between the TV and film industries through the RTNG's presence. The booth opened at 12:03am ET on October 23, 2015; the official start of the Octoberfest Film Festival. In October 2016, the RTNG returned to Octoberfest, along with booths for rTV Networks and Gavent Networks, as part of an expansion of last year's entry into the event. Film and TV Cooperative On October 18, 2015, in the run-up to their presentation at Octoberfest, the RTNG launched the Film and TV Cooperative, or the FTVC, to better promote interconnection between the Robloxian television and film industries. In addition to cooperating with Robloxiwood, the division operates the RTNG MediaCon convention event. RTNG MediaCon Inspired by Robloxiwood's Octoberfest, BenzBot and SuperLemonade wanted to set up their own convention. Feeling the Robloxian television industry was too small to sustain its own, the two agreed on expanding the scope of the convention to include both the Robloxian television and film industries. Also feeling that a year was too long to wait between conventions, it was announced the event would be held semi-annually. The event was soon formally launched as RTNG MediaCon, run by the Film and TV Cooperative; the first event was held in January 2016. Members Primary members *rTV Networks¹ *Roblox Networks Television¹ Secondary members *BlueVale Networks *Mighty Networks *STV Former members *TamatedRNetworks¹ *(Roblox) NBC (closed, group no longer owned) *RoFlix (owned by rTV Networks as of November 2014; now defunct as February 2015) *Gavent Networks (closed by AGavent on March 31, 2017) *TE (Toast Entertainment/Television Everywhere, became Bloxia) *Dipper Fresh Foundation (became FRSH Inc. in October 2016, acquired and later folded into Hexahedron Television Networks on April 17, 2017) *Joshua World Corporation (removed on May 7, 2017) *Hexahedron Television Networks (left on May 10, 2017) *Buddbudd Studios (Left July 14, 2017) *Bloxia (became RBC Network) (Left July 14, 2017) *DogeTV (defunct, became Box) *Overtime Studios (defunct as of late 2017) *RBC Network (left 27th July, 2019, due to tensions in the RTNG) *Box. (left 27th July, 2019, due to tensions in the RTNG) *Lava Lamp Entertainment (left 27th July, 2019, due to disagreements over the handling of the situation by Box and RBC) ¹Founding member Category:Networks Category:Television corporations